Palawan

Palawan is one of the most visited islands in the Philippines. The capital city of Palawan is Puerto Princesa which is the home of the famous Underground River. The Underground River is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it is one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.

How to go to Palawan

You might wonder why you cannot find Palawan in the destination choices while booking a plane ticket. Don’t fret! You have 3 equally great choices of iconic destinations if you’re heading to Palawan. You can fly to Puerto Princesa, El Nido, or Coron. For your point of origin, you can fly from any of these: Manila, Cebu, Caticlan, or Davao. Travel time is only around an hour and a half by plane. Don’t forget to scout for promo tickets!

Package tours in Palawan

There are a lot of places to see and activities to do in Palawan. One of the many things that you’ll admire is their systematized tours. All you’ve got to do is find a perfect accommodation that suits you, and pre-packed tours are readily available at the front desk, and you’re good to go. Accommodations in Palawan offers tours priced at little to no difference from other accommodations who offer the same. Surely, the people in Palawan know how to do business!

Where to go in Palawan

Palawan has 3 iconic destinations that you must visit. These destinations are Puerto Princesa, El Nido, and Coron. Each of these destinations has their own must-see attractions, and here they are:

Puerto Princesa

One of the high-end urbanized cities in the Philippines, Puerto Princesa will truly amaze you. Aside from being known to be a city inside a forest, Puerto Princesa is proud to house the famous Underground River, which happens to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.

Puerto Princesa will make you feel like you’re in paradise. They also have pristine beaches and white sand.

El Nido

Of all the 13 municipalities of Palawan, El Nido is 1st class. El Nido is known for its glorious white-sand beaches, coral reefs, and natural limestone cliffs. It is also known as the gateway to Bacuit archipelago.

If you come from Puerto Princesa and you’d like a side trip to El Nido, it will take you 5-9 hours trip by land. But, for sure, your trip will be worth it when you see the beauty of El Nido!

Coron

Coron and El Nido may sound similar to you, but when you visit Coron, you’ll going to experience a different kind of adventure. If there are things that are similar to both Coron and El Nido, it would be white-sand beaches, coral reefs, and limestones. What differentiates Coron from El Nido is that Coron is known for its world-class WWII-era shipwreck diving spot. Must be creepy, but, a lot of tourists visit this spot.

Getting around in Palawan

Getting around Palawan has never been so convenient and easy. If you are a tourist and would love a hassle-free trip, you can always book a van or car that will take you to places. You can ask your hotel front desk to book a transport for you. But, if you are that traveler who’s into some kind of adventure, getting around Palawan might excite you!

By land

Common transports are jeepneys and tricycles. These rides are accessible and priced fairly. If you travel in groups, renting a van, a car or a jeepney are your go-to options. There are also buses in Palawan that you can ride, but these buses are only for trips from a certain origin to Puerto Princesa, to El Nido, or to Coron.

By sea

Super Ferry and Atienza Shipping Lines, are two shipping lines that could take you to the beautiful island of Palawan. These two will come from Manila, and travel time can be too long for you to take – about 20-28 hours. But as they say, “Always take the scenic route.” (wink*)

ATMs

If you have a foreign ATM card, your card can only work in ATMs in Puerto Princesa. There are also ATMs found in Coron, but it can only take Philippine ATM cards. In some cases, all of their ATMs will go offline. This is why when you travel to Palawan, you need to bring enough cash to avoid inconvenience.

Currency exchange

Best advice is to have your currency exchanged while you are still in Manila, any point of origin. You might have troubles in looking for currency exchange booths and shops in Palawan. Better be ready.

Credit Cards

Unless you’re staying at a high-end luxurious accommodation, don’t expect that they can accommodate your credit cards. Take some time to research in advance if the products and services that you will avail can be paid with credit cards.

Best time to go

Summertime is really the best time to travel and see places. This is also true for traveling in Palawan. Best time to visit are late February tomid-May, as these times are when waters are calm. Hence, the best time for snorkeling and diving. November to February is also a good time, but these months are when the weather is humid.